Truth and lies and friendship

Truth and lies and friendship

Iain Dale's Diary reports that the fraudster Derek Conway is to stand down as an MP and will not be seeking to stand at the next election. This is not surprising given that he would not have the support of the local party and would have to stand as an independent. Martin Bell he is not. So, he is jumping before he is pushed. Who in their right mind would vote for this crook, even if he is not in prison by the time of the next election? I do not believe that merely standing down goes far enough. He should resign with immediate effect. I have amended parts of Derek Conway's statement:

"Since joining the Conservative Party nearly 40 years ago I have had the privilege of dipping into the public purse since 1974 and have done so to the best of my ability".

Iain Dale states:

"Whatever Derek did or did not do he did not deserve some of the comments that have been thrown his way".

I did not deserve some of the comments thrown my way on Iain Dale's Diary.

Iain Dale states:

"I refute any charge of hypocrisy".

I am amazed that my computer has not crashed upon reading this. It is a wild and inaccurate statement to make, and if Iain cannot tell the difference between a lie and the truth then I suggest that he book an appointment with a psychiatrist or alternatively take a polygraph test. My charge is not in relation to the Derek Conway affair. Rather it refers to something Iain blogged and said about me on 18DS.

Iain Dale states:

"It's all to do with basic human decency and how you define friendship".

I recall in 1983 I was in the strip cell in HMP Gartree, and when the deputy governor made his rounds and came to my cell door (surrounded by 6 prison officers), I said to him that I was entitled to either a mattress or a chair in the cell, he replied that he would check Standing Orders and if I was right he would ensure I got one or the other. It would have been very easy for him to abuse his power and totally ignore my complaint. But he returned with a mattress and said that I was less likely to hurt one of his officers with it than with a chair. On another occasion he found me not guilty upon an adjudication when adjudicators tended to support a prison officer's word to keep up their morale. A friendship developed even though we were on opposite sides of the fence. When the IRA offered me the contract to kill this deputy governor they thought it was as good as done. I refused it. I thought about the criminal code and the conflict of interests with the friendship. I decided to talk to my friend the deputy governor and warned him that he was in danger if someone else took up the contract from the IRA. I recall he went very white and for the first time I saw fear in someone on the other side. He took what he deemed to be the appropriate action, and lived to fight another day for the forces of law and order. We have remained good friends ever since. He rose through the ranks and is the present Director General of HM Prison Service. I think that this is a good example of basic human decency and how you define friendship. One of his good qualities that I admire is his ability when he is in the wrong to hold his hands up, apologise, learn from the lesson, and move on.

On the other hand, Derek Conway has made a half-hearted apology, denies wrong doing, and tries to wriggle off the hook. If Iain Dale likes having this slimy character as a friend then that is his business. Personally, I would choose my friends more carefully. All my friends know about my past, take that into account, and treat me as they find me and that is what our friendships are based upon. I have not lost any of these friends which came about since 1989, save for one who died of a heart attack and is sadly missed. He was instrumental in my reform in prison and was part of my support network upon release. I know that my friends would not be my friends if, for example, I became a supporter of the BNP. And, I would not want to know them if they were BNP supporters. Friendships have their limits. I suspect that Iain does not know how to redefine the limit of his friendship with a serial fraudster. This is not about my country right or wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. A serial of wrongs do not make a right. Iain can stick by his friend. I don't say that this is wrong. It's the conduct of Derek Conway that is wrong. It does not matter how many times Iain spits out his dummy, it will not change the fact that Derek Conway is a 'wrong un'.